Israeli forces detain 16 Palestinians in predawn West Bank raids

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces detained at least 16 Palestinians during predawn raids on Wednesday across the occupied West Bank.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an that 16 Palestinians were detained from the West Bank, without providing specific locations on the detentions.

Meanwhile, locals identified 11 of the 16 detainees to Ma’an.

In the northern West Bank district of Nablus, Israeli forces detained two Palestinians from the village of Tell. They were identified as Luay Hassan Hamad and Maaruf Bassel Hindi.

Two Palestinians were detained in the Qalqiliya-area village of Azzun, also in the northern West Bank. They were identified by locals as Yassin Rajeh Shbeita and Bassam Nabil Hussein.

In the central West Bank district of Salfit, Israeli forces detained on Palestinian from the village o Deir Istiya. He was identified as Sameh Saed Mashni.

Six Palestinians were detained fro mthe southern West Bank district of Hebron. They were identified by locals as Hajj Elayyan Muhammad Khalil and his wife Umm Muhammad from the town of Bani Naim, former prisoner Ahmad Abd al-Majid Briush from Dura, Ahmad Raed Abu Ajamiyeh from the al-Fawwar refugee camp, and Muayyad Ibrahim Abu Hammad and Saeb Ibrahim abu Hammad from Hebron city.

In occupied East Jerusalem, locals told Ma’an that one Palestinian was detained from the neighborhood of Issawiya. He was identified as Shadi Mheisen.

According to UN documentation, Israeli forces carried out 176 search and arrest raids in the occupied Palestinian territory from March 13 - 26.

As of March, there were 6,050 Palestinians being held in israeli prisons, according to Palestinian prisoners rights group Addameer.